Students enjoy Potter in Braille

Pupils at a Devon school are joining in the current Pottermania, by getting the latest Harry Potter novel in Braille. The West of England School and College for Children with Little or No Sight in Exeter is getting its copies of the book at the same time as everyone else. The final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, went on sale on Saturday morning. The school says it is important for the youngsters to have the same access to popular books.

This particular edition will take up a lot of library space at the Exeter school. The previous book, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, ran to 10 volumes, while the one before that translated into 24 volumes.

"It is the nature of Braille-embossed books that they do occupy quite a few more pages than traditional books," said the school's Braille co-ordinator, Ruth Hardisty. "But we think it is important that every student is given an equal opportunity to read books of their choice, whether they can see or not."

The previous Harry Potter book was the first ever novel to be published simultaneously in Braille, large print and standard print. The same has happened with the new title, and the West of England School and College has made sure it is at the front of the queue for one of the limited copies.

Student Tom Donnelly, 15, who has no sight, said: "I've always been a Harry Potter fan. I love the excitement of the books and complex nature of the plot."